Apparatus for bobbin removal

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for bobbin removal in a winding machine has a projectingly held winding spindle for winding at least one bobbin. The apparatus further has a plurality of pivoting arms which in each case have a free plug-on end and an opposite holding end. The holding ends of the pivoting arms are connected to a pivoting shaft. At least one of the pivoting arms is held, in a removal position, in alignment with the winding spindle of the winding machine for the removal of the bobbin. The pivoting shaft is oriented horizontally, and the pivoting arms are guidable in a vertically oriented guidance plane.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Patent application is a Continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2007/001892 filed on Mar. 6, 2007, entitled, “APPARATUS FOR BOBBIN REMOVAL”, the contents and teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for bobbin removal in a winding machine.

BACKGROUND

In the production of synthetic threads, it is customary for the threads to be wound into individual bobbins by winding machines after the melt spinning. To bring about a continuous material flow, winding machines are preferably used, with two projectingly held winding spindles which are arranged on a movable carrier and are guided alternately into a winding region and a changing region. The melt-spun threads can consequently be wound into bobbins continuously without any process interruption. Furthermore, it is known, for automation, to assign to the winding machines apparatuses for bobbin removal, by means of which the bobbins, after completion, are taken over from the winding machine and, for example, delivered to a bobbin transport device. Such an apparatus for bobbin removal in a winding machine is known from DE 44 21 916 A1.

In the known apparatus, a plurality of pivoting arms arranged at a distance from one another are held on a pivoting shaft. In this case, advantageously, one pivoting arm can be used for receiving the bobbins and a second pivoting arm for the supply of tubes. The pivoting arms are held in a horizontal plane and can be guided on the vertically oriented pivot shaft from a removal position to a transfer position. The pivoting arms are in this case arranged in the form of a turnstile on the pivoting shaft.

In the known apparatus, during rotation, the pivoting arms project appreciably beyond the side region of the winding machine as a function of the number of bobbins and therefore as a function of the projecting length of the pivoting arms. In the production of melt-spun threads, however, it is customary to arrange a plurality of winding machines in a row next to one another so that a multiplicity of threads can be produced. The known apparatus therefore requires a greater distance between adjacent winding machines, thus leading to an increased space requirement of the plant as a whole.

SUMMARY

An object of certain embodiments of the invention, therefore, is to design an apparatus for bobbin removal of the generic type, in such a way that bobbin removal takes place essentially within the range of the machine width of the winding machines.

A further aim of certain embodiments of the invention is to provide an apparatus for bobbin removal of the generic type, which allows a high degree of automation in bobbin removal and tube supply.

Certain embodiments of the invention are distinguished in that the bobbins occurring in a winding machine are removed and discharged at any time and at any desired time intervals. The advantages of an apparatus for bobbin removal which is employed in a stationary manner are therefore preserved. Furthermore, the space freely available upward is utilized, in order, in particular, to remove a plurality of bobbins in the most confined possible space from the winding machine and transfer them. For this purpose, the pivoting arms are guided in a vertically oriented guidance plane on a horizontally oriented pivoting shaft. The pivoting arms therefore occupy essentially only an amount of space which extends insignificantly over the width of a bobbin. The apparatus is therefore suitable, in particular, for discharging the bobbins in each case in winding machines where a plurality of these form a machine longitudinal side. The distance between the adjacent winding machines is in this case determined solely by the machine width of the winding machines.

Since, after the wound bobbins have been taken over from a winding machine, the freed winding spindle is usually fitted with tubes in order to restart a winding operation, certain embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous in which the pivoting arms are held, offset at an angle with respect to one another, on the pivoting shaft in the guidance plane, the pivoting arms being capable of being guided alternately into the removal position. Short interruption times can therefore be implemented, since the removal of the bobbins can be carried out by means of one of the pivoting arms and the supply of new tubes by means of a second pivoting arm. The angle between the pivoting arms is in this case dimensioned in such a way that no obstruction occurs between bobbin removal and bobbin discharge by one of the pivoting arms and the fitting of the tubes by the second pivoting arm.

The angle between the pivoting arms, which is of a size in the region of 90°, has proved to be particularly advantageous so that bobbin removal and tube supply can be carried out in the most confined possible space.

In apparatus according to certain embodiments of the invention, the high flexibility of removal of the bobbins and the supply of the tubes can be improved further in that the pivoting arms are designed to be pivotable on the pivoting shaft clockwise and/or counterclockwise. In particular, the to and fro pivoting movement of the pivoting arms is preferably used so that the supply of energy to the auxiliary assemblies assigned to the pivoting arms can be carried out in a simple way by means of cable routings.

For this purpose, the pivoting shaft is preferably mounted rotatably on a stationary carrier and coupled to a rotary drive. The holding ends of the pivoting arms are connected firmly to the pivoting shaft, so that the pivoting arms are pivoted directly by the rotary drive.

To ensure that the bobbins removed from the winding machine can be transported away quickly and reliably, a bobbin transport device is provided, which has at least one bobbin reception station per winding machine, so that at least one of the pivoting arms can be guided out of the removal position into a transfer position of the bobbin reception station.

If removable transport devices are used, certain embodiments of the invention are preferably adopted in which the bobbin reception station is arranged opposite the winding machine and in which the pivoting arm is pivotable through a pivot angle in the region of 180° between the removal position and the transfer position. In this case, a transport path oriented parallel to a machine longitudinal side can be utilized in order to transport away the bobbins.

It is also possible, however, that the bobbin reception station is set up on the floor in front of the winding machine, and that the pivoting arm held pivotably between the removal position and the transfer position has a clamping mechanism for fixing the bobbin. Thus, simply by pivoting through 90°, the bobbins can be guided out of the removal position into the transfer position.

In the production of synthetic threads, during winding, states also arise in which the bobbins have an insufficient size because of a thread break or an insufficient thread quality due to a lack of process management. In these cases, certain embodiments of the invention are particularly advantageous in which the bobbin transport device has a plurality of bobbin reception stations per winding machine which form a plurality of transfer positions one behind the other within the pivoting range of the pivoting arm. Thus, classification can be carried out even during the removal of the bobbins. Defective bobbins can therefore be removed and discharged separately in one of the transfer positions.

To take over the bobbins guided by the pivoting arm, the bobbin reception station either can be designed with a movably guided bobbin mandrel which is held in alignment with the pivoting arm in the transfer position or can be formed by a bobbin chute or a running conveyor belt.

For complete automation, the pivoting arms are assigned a tube discharge station of a tube supply device, which preferably has a guide pipe which is held in alignment at least with one of the pivoting arms in a filling position.

The supply of the tubes to the pivoting arms readied in the filling position can in this case advantageously be carried out according to certain embodiments of the invention in which the tube discharge station is formed above the winding spindle in front of the winding machine. The tube can thus be transferred out of the guide pipe onto the pivoting arm solely by the action of gravity. Additional guide means are unnecessary.

It is also possible, however, to set up the tube discharge station on the floor in front of the winding machine. In this case, the pivoting arm held in the filling position has a clamping mechanism for fixing one or more tubes.

To discharge the bobbins or tubes held on the pivoting arm, it is particularly advantageous if the pivoting arms have a push-off mechanism, by means of which the bobbin and/or the tube are/is held on the pivoting arm so as to be axially displaceable. In the transfer position of the pivoting arm, the bobbins can consequently be pushed off uniformly from the pivoting arm and transferred directly to the bobbin reception station. Likewise, one or more tubes held on the pivoting arm can be supplied to the readied winding spindle in the removal position by means of a continuous movement.

It has proved particularly appropriate if the push-off mechanism is formed from a push means and a linear drive, the push means being guided on the pivoting arm, and the linear drive being arranged in the axial prolongation of the pivoting arm. Thus, the free space required by the pivoting movement of the pivoting arm can be utilized for receiving the additional assemblies. Furthermore, a weight compensation of the pivoting arms on the pivoting shaft is possible.

The apparatus according to certain embodiments of the invention is suitable, in particular, in the case of continuously winding machines, for removing the regularly occurring full bobbins and transferring them to a bobbin transport device. This is independent of the number of bobbins wound on the winding spindle. The apparatus according to certain embodiments of the invention is therefore suitable for being able to receive only one bobbin per winding spindle or even a plurality of bobbins per winding spindle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the invention are explained in more detail below by means of some example embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically a view of a first example embodiment of the apparatus,

FIG. 2 illustrates diagrammatically a top view of the example embodiment from FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate diagrammatically the example embodiment from FIG. 1 in a plurality of operating situations,

FIG. 5 illustrates diagrammatically a view of a further example embodiment of the apparatus,

FIG. 6 illustrates diagrammatically a view of the example embodiment according to FIG. 1 in a changed operating situation, and

FIG. 7 illustrates diagrammatically a view of a further example embodiment of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first example embodiment of the apparatus in a plurality of views. The example embodiment is illustrated in a side view in FIG. 1 and in a top view in FIG. 2. Insofar as no express reference is made to one of the figures, the following description applies to both figures.

The apparatus has a plurality of pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 which in each case possess a holding end 8 and a free plug-on end 9. The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are connected with their holding ends 8 to a pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting shaft 5 is oriented horizontally and is mounted rotatably on a carrier 6. In this example embodiment, the pivoting shaft is mounted so as to project, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 being connected firmly to the pivot shaft 5 at the free projecting end of the pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting shaft 5 is coupled at the opposite end to a rotary drive 7, by means of which the pivoting shaft 5, together with pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2, can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise. In this case, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 move in a vertically oriented guidance plane. In FIG. 1, the guidance plane is illustrated by the drawing plane. In FIG. 2, the guidance plane is identified by the axial center of the pivoting arm 4.1.

A winding machine 1 is arranged laterally next to the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2. The winding machine 1 has a plurality of winding spindles 2.1 and 2.2 which are held on a movable spindle carrier 25. The spindle carrier 25 is mounted movably in a machine stand 26, in order to guide the winding spindles 2.1 and 2.2 alternately into a winding region for winding a bobbin and into a changing region for removing the finished wound bobbins 3. Winding machines of this type are generally known in the prior art and are described, for example, in EP 374536 B1. To that extent, no further explanation of the set-up and of the functioning of the winding machine is given at this juncture, reference being made to the publication mentioned.

The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are held in front of the winding machine in such a way that the winding spindle 2.1 guided in the changing region stands opposite to and in alignment with one of the pivoting arms 4.1 in a removal position. By the pivoting shaft 5 being rotated, a pivoting arm 4.1 or the pivoting arm 4.2 can in this case selectively be positioned into the removal position directly in front of the winding spindle 2.1.

A tube supply device 17 is arranged above the pivoting shaft 5. The tube supply device 17 has per winding station a tube discharge station 18 which, in this example embodiment, has a guide pipe 19 with an orifice pointing downward. The guide pipe 19 is arranged in the guidance plane, the pivoting arms 4.1 or 4.2 being positionable in a filling position directly beneath the guide pipe 19. In this case, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are preferably held concentrically with respect to the orifice formed by the guide pipe 19. The guide pipe 19 is coupled in the upper region to a tube magazine 20 which contains a plurality of tubes 27. The tube magazine 20 has a guide means 21 by which in each case one of the tubes 27 can be guided into the guide pipe 19.

A bobbin transport device 10 is formed on that side of the pivoting shaft 5 which lies opposite the winding machine 1. The bobbin transport device 10 has a bobbin reception station 11 in which a winding carriage 13 is positioned. The winding carriage 13 possesses a winding mandrel 12 which is assigned with a free end to the guide path of the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2. The pivoting arm 4.1 can be guided, by the rotation of the pivoting shaft 5, into a transfer position in which the pivoting arm 4.1 and the winding mandrel 12 stand essentially opposite to and in alignment with one another.

To explain the operation of the apparatus, reference is also made to FIGS. 3 and 4 in addition to FIG. 1. FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the example embodiment of the apparatus in changed operating situations. In this case, FIG. 1 shows the situation at the commencement of a bobbin removal, FIG. 3 the situation during the transfer of the bobbins to the bobbin transport device, and FIG. 4 the fitting of the empty winding spindle with new tubes.

In the winding machine illustrated in FIG. 1, the winding spindle 2.1 having two fully wound bobbins 3 is in a changing position. The winding spindle 2.2 is in a winding position in which two incoming threads are wound next to one another in parallel into bobbins. The winding spindle 2.1 in the changing region of the winding machine is not driven and is ready for a bobbin change. For this purpose, by means of the pivoting shaft 5, the pivoting arm 4.1 is guided into the removal position directly opposite the winding spindle 2.1 and is held. Subsequently, via a push-off device on the winding spindle 2.1, the bobbins 3 are pushed off from the winding spindle 2.1 and guided onto the pivoting arm 4.1. This situation is illustrated by dashes in FIG. 1. After the bobbins 3 are held on the pivoting arm 4.1, the rotary drive 7 of the pivoting shaft 5 is activated to rotate clockwise, so that the pivoting arm 4.1 is guided out of the removal position. The rotary drive 7 remains activated until the pivoting arm 4.1 has reached the transfer position on the opposite side and stands opposite the bobbin mandrel 12 of the bobbin reception station 11. In this case, the pivoting arm 4.1 has executed an angle of rotation of approximately 180°. The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are fixed with respect to one another and between them form an angle α in the region of 90°. Thus, at the same time, during the rotation of the pivoting shaft 5, the pivoting arm 4.2 is pivoted clockwise, offset at 90°.

FIG. 3 illustrates the situation after an angle of rotation of 180° on the pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting arm 4.1 dwells in the transfer position opposite the bobbin mandrel 12. In this situation, the pivoting arm 4.2 is held in a filling position directly beneath the tube discharge station 18. Two tubes 27 are supplied in succession to the pivoting arm 4.2 via the guide pipe 19. In the situation illustrated, one of the tubes 27 is already held on the pivoting arm 4.2. A second tube 27 is guided out of the tube magazine 20 into the guide pipe 19 by the guide means 21. Within the guide pipe 19, the tube 27 falls by its gravitational force to the outlet orifice of the guide pipe 19 directly onto the readied pivoting arm 4.2.

At the same time, the bobbins 3 on the pivoting arm 4.1 are transferred onto the readied bobbin mandrel 12. After the transfer of the bobbin 3 to the bobbin mandrel 12, the rotary drive 7 of the pivoting shaft 5 is activated anew, so that the pivoting shaft 5 executes a rotation through approximately 90° counterclockwise. In this case, the pivoting arm 4.2 having the tubes 27 is guided out of the filling position into the removal position.

In the removal position, the pivoting arm 4.2 stands in alignment with the winding spindle 2.1, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The tubes 27 can then be transferred from the pivoting arm 4.2 onto the winding spindle 2.1. The bobbin change on the winding machine 1 is thereby concluded. By the rotary drive 7 being activated, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are guided into their initial situation, as shown in FIG. 1, as a result of the rotation of the pivoting shaft 5. The bobbins on the bobbin mandrel 12 are discharged by the bobbin carriage 13.

In the example embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the guidance plane of the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 is oriented vertically, so that even a relatively large number of bobbins can be guided from the winding machine to a bobbin transport device in the most confined possible space. In this case, the pivoting arms require essentially an extent corresponding to the bobbin width. The design of the tube supply device 17 and bobbin transport device 10 assigned to the pivoting arms is by way of example. Basically, systems are suitable which allow a discharge of a tube or a reception of a bobbin. Thus, for example, the bobbin mandrel 12 can be guided and positioned by means of an overhead trolley or other conveying means.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a diagrammatic side view of a further example embodiment of the apparatus in a plurality of operating situations. Insofar as no express reference is made to one of the figures, the following description applies to both figures.

The example embodiment according to FIGS. 5 and 6 is essentially identical to the example embodiment according to FIG. 1, and therefore only the differences are explained below and reference is otherwise made to the abovementioned description.

In the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are held, offset at an angle α with respect to one another, on a pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are driven clockwise and counterclockwise as a result of the rotation of the pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting shaft 5 is coupled to a rotary drive, not illustrated here, and is mounted on a carrier projectingly or on both sides.

The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 have in each case a push-off mechanism 22. The push-off mechanism 22 is formed by a push means 23 and a linear drive 24. The push means 23 is guided, for example as a ring, on the circumference of the respective pivoting arm 4.1 or 4.2. The linear drive 24, for example a pneumatic cylinder, is arranged in the axial prolongation of the respective pivoting arm 4.1 or 4.2, so that the linear drive 24 extends within the guidance plane essentially on that side of the pivoting shaft 5 which lies opposite the pivoting arm 4.1. This design has the particular advantage that it leads to a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the pivoting shaft 5, so that weight compensation in relation to the pivoting shaft 5 is obtained. The required torque for activating the pivoting shaft 5 is thus restricted to the loads resulting from the bobbins. The linear drive 24 of the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are in this case arranged in relation to one another in such a way that the respective push means 23 of the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 can be operated separately and independently of one another.

A winding machine 1 is arranged on one side of the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2. The winding machine 1 has a spindle carrier 25 which is held movably on a stand wall 28. The spindle carrier 25 carries two projecting winding spindles 2.1 and 2.2 which in each case hold and wind a bobbin. For this purpose, the winding spindles 2.1 and 2.2 can be guided by the spindle carrier 25 alternately into a winding region and a changing region. In the situation illustrated in FIG. 5, the winding spindle 2.1 having a bobbin 3 is held in a changing position.

On the opposite side to the winding machine 1, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are assigned two bobbin reception stations 11.1 and 11.2 of a bobbin transport device. A first bobbin reception station 11.1 contains a bobbin chute 15, by means of which the bobbins pushed off from the pivoting arm 4.1 are received. The bobbin chute 15 is held laterally with respect to the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2. The second bobbin reception station 11.2 is set up on the floor directly in front of the winding machine 1. In this case, the bobbin reception station 11.2 is formed by a container 29 which receives the bobbin discharged from a pivoting arm 4.1 or 4.2. The bobbin reception station 11.2 is provided, in particular, for the reception of defective bobbins which, for example, have an insufficient bobbin diameter or an insufficient thread quality. In this case, the container 29 may be guided manually or in an automated manner by means of a conveyor belt.

A tube supply device 17 is formed in the guidance plane above the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2, only a guide pipe 19 for discharging the tubes being illustrated in this example embodiment.

The example embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is essentially identical in its operation to the preceding example embodiment, and therefore only the differences are explained below and reference is otherwise made to the above description.

FIG. 5 illustrates the situation in which the pivoting arm 4.1 is positioned in a removal position directly in front of the winding spindle 2.1. After the transfer of the bobbin 3 from the winding spindle 2.1, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are pivoted clockwise as a result of the activation of the pivoting shaft 5. The pivoting arms are pivoted through an angle of rotation of 180° or 270° as a function of the quality of the bobbin. In the case of a bobbin which is not defective, the pivoting arm 4.1 is guided into a transfer position reached after 180°. The drive mechanism 22 on the gripping arm 4.1 is subsequently activated, so that the bobbin 3.1 is pushed off via the free end of the pivoting arm 4.1 and is guided automatically onto the bobbin chute 15. This situation is illustrated in FIG. 6. At the same time, a tube 27 is supplied to the pivoting arm 4.2 held in the filling position.

In the event that a bobbin 3 removed from the winding spindle 2.1 is defective, the pivoting shaft 5 is pivoted clockwise through an angle of rotation of 270° in order to move the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2. Alternatively, the pivoting arm 4.1 could also be positioned, by the counterclockwise rotation of the pivoting shaft 5 through 90°, into the transfer position critical for the bobbin reception station 11.2. After the transfer position is reached, the bobbin is transferred to the bobbin reception station 11.2 and therefore the bobbin 3 is guided into the container 29. This situation is not illustrated in any more detail.

Fitting the empty winding spindle 2.1 with a new tube 27 takes place identically to the preceding example embodiment, so that the pivoting arm 4.2 is guided out of the filling position into the removal position. To push off the tube 27, the drive mechanism 22 on the pivoting arm 4.2 is activated.

The example embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 is suitable, in particular, even for carrying out a quality sorting of the bobbins. Thus, for example, all bobbins with a sufficient A-quality can be deposited directly on the bobbin chute and then are removed there manually and packaged immediately. By contrast, bobbins with what is known as B-quality are introduced into the container 29 and disposed of.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagrammatic side view of a further example embodiment of the apparatus. The example embodiment is essentially identical to the example embodiment according to FIGS. 5 and 6, and therefore only the differences are explained below and reference is otherwise made to the abovementioned description.

In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are held jointly on the pivoting shaft 5 and can be moved actively clockwise and counterclockwise by means of a rotary drive. The pivoting arm 4.1 is assigned a clamping mechanism 14 which has a plurality of clamping bodies which are distributed on the circumference of the pivoting arm 4.1 and are activatable by means of an internally guided compressed air piston in order to clamp a bobbin held on the circumference of the pivoting arm 4.1. For this purpose, a compressed air connection 31 is assigned to the pivoting arm 4.1. By contrast, the pivoting arm 4.2 has a push-off mechanism 22 which is formed by a push means 23 and a linear drive 24. The pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are assigned in the guidance plane above them, a tube supply device 17 and, on the floor, a bobbin transport device 10. The bobbin reception station 11 of the bobbin transport device 10 is in this case formed by a conveyor belt 16 which has a plurality of projecting bobbin mandrels 12. The bobbin mandrels 12 rise vertically and in the bobbin reception station 11 are oriented in alignment with the pivoting arm 4.2 held in the transfer position.

In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, after the transfer of a bobbin from the winding spindle 2.1 onto the pivoting arm 4.1, the pivoting shaft 5 is rotated counterclockwise until the pivoting arm 4.1 has executed an angle of rotation of 90° and is guided into a transfer position. During this time, the clamping mechanism 14 on the pivoting arm 4.1 is activated, so that the bobbin 3 is held firmly on the pivoting arm 4.1. As soon as the pivoting arm 4.1 has reached the transfer position above the bobbin mandrel 12, the clamping mechanism 14 is released, so that the bobbin 3 slides off on the pivoting arm 4.1 and automatically falls, centered via the bobbin mandrel 12, onto the conveyor belt 16. The bobbin 3 is discharged by the conveyor belt 16. At the same time, the winding spindle 2.2 is fitted with a tube 27 by the second pivoting arm 4.2. For this purpose, the push-off mechanism 22 on the gripping arm 4.2 is activated, so that the tube 27 is stripped off from the pivoting arm 4.2 and guided onto the winding spindle 2.1 by means of a uniform movement. After the tube 27 is held on the winding spindle 2.1, the pivoting arms 4.1 and 4.2 are rotated clockwise through 90°, so that the pivoting arm 4.2 dwells in the filling position and the pivoting arm 4.1 in the removal position. In this case, the pivoting arm 4.2, after reaching the filling position, can be fitted directly with a new tube 27.

In the example embodiments shown above, the bobbin removal apparatus is shown in each case with two pivoting arms. Basically, however, embodiments of invention are not restricted to the number of pivoting arms which are guided pivotably about a pivoting shaft 5. Thus, even three or four pivoting arms can be implemented, so that bobbin removal and tube fitting can be carried out. Moreover, there is also the possibility of arranging the pivoting arms in a plurality of vertical guidance planes oriented next to and parallel to one another, so that the pivoting arms are also held, offset in the axial direction, on the pivoting shaft. Thus, two different positions of the winding spindles could be used for the operation of pushing off the bobbins from the winding spindle and the operation of pushing the tubes onto the winding spindle. This is particularly advantageous when, during the normal bobbin-winding operation, the winding spindles move on a pivoting circle and are stopped only for the bobbin change. The parking time of the winding spindle may in this case be divided into two small time segments. The apparatus is likewise not restricted to the situation where the winding machine has a horizontally oriented winding spindle for removing the bobbins. Thus, even vertically standing winding spindles would be possible, in which case the pivoting arms are preferably guided below the winding spindle, so that a pushing off of the bobbins may be dispensed with, since the full bobbins automatically go over onto the pivoting arms. Furthermore, it is expressly mentioned at this juncture that the apparatus is coupled to a control device which via sensors detects individual operating states and performs an automated control of the rotary drive and consequently of the pivoting movement of the pivoting arm. Basically, however, there is also the possibility of operating the apparatus manually in order to carry out a bobbin removal.

List of reference symbols  1 Winding machine 2.1, 2.2 Winding spindle  3 Bobbin 4.1, 4.2 Pivoting arm  5 Pivoting shaft  6 Carrier  7 Rotary drive  8 Holding end  9 Plug-on end 10 Bobbin transport device 11, 11.1, 11.2 Bobbin reception station 12 Bobbin mandrel 13 Bobbin carriage 14 Clamping mechanism 15 Bobbin chute 16 Conveyor belt 17 Tube supply device 18 Tube discharge station 19 Guide pipe 20 Tube magazine 21 Guide means 22 Push-off mechanism 23 Push means 24 Linear drive 25 Spindle carrier 26 Machine stand 27 Tubes 28 Stand wall 29 Container 30 Clamping body 31 Compressed air connection 

1. An apparatus for bobbin removal in a winding machine, which has a projectingly held winding spindle for winding at least one bobbin, with a plurality of pivoting arms which in each case have a free plug-on end and an opposite holding end, the holding ends of the pivoting arms being connected to a pivoting shaft, at least one of the pivoting arms being held, in a removal position, in alignment with the winding spindle of the winding machine for the removal of the bobbin, the pivoting shaft being oriented horizontally, and the pivoting arms being guidable in a vertically oriented guidance plane.
 2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting arms are held, offset at an angle with respect to one another, on the pivoting shaft in the guidance plane, the pivoting arms being guidable alternately into the removal position.
 3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle has a size in the region of 90°.
 4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting arms on the pivoting shaft are designed to be pivotable clockwise and/or counterclockwise.
 5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pivoting shaft is mounted rotatably on a stationary carrier and is coupled to a rotary drive, the holding ends of the pivoting arms being connected firmly to the pivoting shaft.
 6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bobbin transport device is provided, which has at least one bobbin reception station, and in that at least one of the pivoting arms can be guided out of the removal position into a transfer position assigned to the bobbin reception station.
 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bobbin reception station is arranged opposite the winding machine, and wherein the pivoting arms can be pivoted through a pivot angle in the region of 180° between the removal position and the transfer position.
 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bobbin reception station is set up on the floor in front of the winding machine, and wherein the pivoting arm held pivotably between the removal position and the transfer position has a clamping mechanism for fixing the bobbin.
 9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bobbin transport device has a plurality of bobbin reception stations per winding machine which form a plurality of transfer positions one behind the other within the pivoting range of the pivoting arm.
 10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bobbin reception station has a movably guided bobbin mandrel which, in the transfer position, is held in alignment with the pivoting arm.
 11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bobbin reception station has a bobbin chute or a running conveyor belt.
 12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tube supply device is provided, which has a tube discharge station with a guide pipe, and wherein at least one of the pivoting arms can be guided into a filling position in alignment with the guide pipe.
 13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tube discharge station is formed above the winding spindle in front of the winding machine, the pivoting arm being positionable below the guide pipe in the filling position.
 14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tube discharge station is set up on the floor in front of the winding machine, and wherein the pivoting arm held pivotably between the filling position and the removal position has a clamping mechanism for fixing a tube.
 15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the pivoting arms has a push-off mechanism, by means of which at least one of the bobbin and the tube is held on the pivoting arm so as to be axially displaceable.
 16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the push-off mechanism has a push means and a linear drive, the push means being guided on the pivoting arm, and the linear drive being arranged in the axial prolongation of the pivoting arm. 